Tag Archives: natural cold remedies

I am not a doctor. Let me repeat, I am not a doctor. All the following is just advice…advice on how we as a family do our best to stay healthy during the winter months. Consult with a doctor before trying any of my suggestions.

Back to school means germs. There really is no escaping them…they’re every where. As a mom of 3 small girls, I know getting sick is inevitable. What I also know is the extent of the sicknesses can sometimes be shortened. Here is a list of things we do to stay healthy and fight off colds.

Elderberry with Echinacea
This is our number 1 line of defense! As soon as the sneezing or coughing starts, we start doling out this magic juice! Read the directions on the bottle and give according to dosage suggestions. I have tried other brands, but Nature’s Way is the best tasting in my opinion. All of my girls drink this with no issues too! Keep in mind, you can not take this on a regular basis like a vitamin. Anything with echinacea should only be taken when a sickness is thought to be coming on or you are sick. Taking echinacea every day can lead to a tolerance and it won’t be affective when you actually need it.

While there is no scientific evidence that taking echinacea daily for months is harmful, theoretically, taking any immune booster for too long could cause it to lose its punch or could stress the immune system. Another theoretical concern is that any drug that tampers with the genetic material of a virus cell (as echinacea does) could also affect the genetic material of cells in the body or could cause viruses to change genetically and become more resistant and more virulent. Dr Sears

We purchase ours at Whole Foods. You can also buy it online on Amazon.

Raw Honey
Raw honey has so many benefits and is often over looked. It has so many great healing powers! We get our raw honey from a local bee farm. It has been proven that local raw honey helps reduce seasonal allergy symptoms. Honey also works as a great soother of sore throats! Take a teaspoon of it right from the jar, don’t heat it up. Yes, it tastes great in tea, but heating raw honey makes it lose some of its healthy benefits. (Please note that it is not recommended to give raw honey to any child under 2 years of age)

Raw Garlic
People think I am nuts when I tell them to eat raw garlic…but it works!! Spending so many years either pregnant or nursing, I was unable to take medications if I got sick. After some research, I found that raw garlic was a great thing to start munching on when you start to feel a sickness coming on. I swear by it now! If I start feeling post nasal drip or even a little run down, I slice up garlic and feel better by the next day. Want more info about raw garlic? Click here!

Water
Stay hydrated! When the girls are not feeling so great, I make sure to hydrate them. Encourage all family members to drink plenty of fluids even in the colder months to help flush out viral bugs.

Chicken Soup
It is hard to get kids to eat raw garlic and raw radishes…but a lot of kids like soup! Chicken soup is fantastic for when you or your children are sick. Chicken soup can be packed full of veggies too! I have even heard of people refer to it as “Jewish penicillin”. Chicken soup is no joke, it works wonders! Here is a great recipe for chicken soup.

Wash Hands
An oldie but goody! Hand washing is proven to reduce illnesses. Make sure to wash hands after using the bathroom. We also make the girls wash hands before eating!

Good luck and stay healthy this winter season! If you or your kids do get sick, try and look at it as a forced day to stay on the couch all day and cuddle! Sometimes being forced to slow down isn’t the worst thing!